More

Youk Continues To Pound Former Team

BOSTON, MA - JULY 17: Kevin Youkilis #20 of the Chicago White Sox is congratulated by third base coach Joe McEwing #47 after hitting a three run home run in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox during the game on July 17, 2012 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

BOSTON, MA - JULY 17: Kevin Youkilis #20 of the Chicago White Sox is congratulated by third base coach Joe McEwing #47 after hitting a three run home run in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox during the game on July 17, 2012 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

BOSTON (AP) _ Kevin Youkilis hit his first homer at Fenway Park
as a visitor, driving a three-run shot over the Green Monster to
lead the Chicago White Sox to a 7-5 win over the Boston Red Sox on
Tuesday night.

It’s been less than a month since Boston traded one of its most
popular players to Chicago and the Fenway fans cheered “Yooouk!”
loudly for the second straight night _ even as he rounded the bases
to put Chicago up 6-2 with his homer off of Jon Lester (6-6) in the
fourth inning.

The White Sox won for the eighth time in 11 games and are 10
games above .500 (50-40) for the fourth time this season.

Philip Humber (4-4) made his first start in a month and settled
down after allowing two runs in a shaky first inning, when the Red
Sox tagged him for three hits and two runs to tie it after Chicago
went up 2-0 in the top of the first.

Humber had been on the disabled list as he recovered from a
right elbow strain. Chicago activated him earlier Tuesday and he
gave the White Sox six strong innings, scattering six hits,
striking out three and not walking a batter before leaving the game
after throwing 104 pitches.

Kelly Shoppach had a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth for
the Red Sox off Matt Thornton to pull Boston to 7-5, but closer
Addison Reed came on in the ninth and picked up his 15th save.

Carl Crawford continued his strong start since joining the Red
Sox on Monday after rehabilitating wrist and elbow injuries during
the first half of the season. Crawford went 3 for 4, stole three
bases and scored twice on Tuesday. In two games back, Crawford is 4
for 7 with four runs scored.

Lester had good velocity, but poor control from the start and
threw 50 pitches in the first two innings. He threw 27 in the first
when Youkilis walked and Adam Dun, Paul Konerko and Alex Rios
followed with hits to put the White Sox up 2-0.

Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez hit RBI singles to tie it in the
bottom of the first, but Chicago went up in the second with a run,
then Youkilis blew it open in the fourth.

With two on and two outs, Youkilis hit a towering shot to left
to put the White Sox up 6-2 in the fourth. Boston fans cheered
“Yooouk!” as he trotted around the bases, showing the former Red
Sox third baseman will always be beloved in Boston. It was
Youkilis’ fourth homer since being traded from to Chicago, tying
his total with the Red Sox in 42 games this season.

It was Youkilis’ fourth homer for the White Sox, tying his total
with Boston this season before he was traded to Chicago on June 24.

Lester allowed six runs on seven hits over four innings.

NOTES: An MRI showed no tear in David Ortiz’s right Achilles
tendon, but the Boston slugger will have it looked at again and
Boston will decide after the second opinion comes in whether to put
Ortiz on the disabled list. Ortiz injured the tendon while rounding
second on Gonzalez’s home run in the eighth on Monday. … Boston
pitching coach Bob McClure said Franklin Morales will move back to
the bullpen after making five starts for the short-handed Red Sox.
… Youkilis hit 65 homers at Fenway as a member of the Red Sox.
… The White Sox placed RHP Gavin Floyd on the 15-day disabled
list with right elbow tendinitis, clearing the roster spot for
Humber. … Chicago didn’t reach 50 wins until July 24 last season,
when a victory over Detroit put the White Sox at 50-51.